PIAA shakes up playoff structure
Only district champions will advance to states
While the WPIAL basketball playoffs will have a drastically new look this season, the PIAA playoffs also will be unlike any state tournament in almost 50 years.
The WPIAL board of directors decided Monday to have an open tournament for boys and girls in 2021 — and only the champion of each classification will move on to the PIAA playoffs.
The PIAA decided a few weeks ago it will only take district champions to the state playoffs. The COVID-19 pandemic was the reason for the change because the PIAA wants to limit travel for teams.
The PIAA has 12 districts around the state, and the WPIAL is District 7, while the Pittsburgh City League is District 8. The previous time the PIAA took only district champions to the state playoffs was 1971 when there were only three classifications — and no PIAA playoffs for girls. The total number of teams in the boys playoffs that year was 32 in the three classifications. Schenley, of the City League, led by future NBA player Maurice Lucas, won the Class 3A championships and is considered one of the best teams in Western Pennsylvania history. Starting in 1972, the PIAA started taking more than champs to the state boys playoffs. The PIAA girls playoffs started in 1973.
This year, only the six WPIAL boys champs and six girls champs will make the PIAA playoffs. To give you an idea of the magnitude of the PIAA postseason change, consider that 70 WPIAL teams (35 boys and girls) qualified for the PIAA playoffs last year in the six classifications. This year, 12 will qualify.
But the road to the PIAA championships will be much shorter for WPIAL teams than in years past. All WPIAL champions — boys and girls — automatically qualify for the PIAA quarterfinals, which will be played March 19-20. The PIAA championships are scheduled for March 25-27 in Hershey, Pa.
Here is a look at what teams the WPIAL champs will face in the PIAA quarterfinals.
CLASS 6A Boys:
The winner from District, 6, 10 or Pittsburgh City League. The quarterfinal winner then will play a team from District 2, 3 or 4 in the semifinals.
Girls: The winner from District 6, 10 or City League. The quarterfinal winner will play a team from District 2, 3 or 4 in the semifinals.
CLASS 5A
Boys: The winner from the City League, District 9 or 10. The quarterfinal winner will play a team from District 3, 4 or 6 in the semifinals.
Girls: The winner from District 10. The quarterfinal winner will play a team from District 3, 6, 9 or
City League in the semifinals. CLASS 4A
Boys: The winner from City League or District 9. The quarterfinal winner will play a team from District 6 or 10 in the semifinals.
Girls: The winner from District 5 or 6. The quarterfinal winner will play a team from District 9, 10 or City League in the semifinals.
CLASS 3A
Boys: The winner from District 5, 9 or City League. The quarterfinal winner will play a team from District 6 or 10 in the semis.
Girls: The winner of District 5, 9 or City League. The quarterfinal winner will play a team from District 6 or 10 in the semifinals.
CLASS 2A
Boys: The winner from District 5 or 9. The quarterfinal winner will play a team from District 6 or 10 in the semifinals.
Girls: The winner from District 5 or 9. The quarterfinal winner will play a team from District 6 or 10 in the semifinals.
CLASS 1A
Boys: The winner from District 5 or 10. The quarterfinal winner will play a team from District 6 or 9 in the semifinals.
Girls: The winner from District 5 or 10. The quarterfinal winner will play a team from District 6 or 9 in the semifinals.